


You Are My Guardian Angel Of Mine

by Plixel



Category: Miraclass (Band), 팬텀싱어 | Phantom Singer (TV), 포레스텔라 | Forestella (Band)
Genre: (at least at the beginning), Alternate Universe - Guardian Angels, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Characters as Angels, Fluff and Angst, Men Crying, Multi, Slow Burn, Woorim-centric, adding more characters as they appear - Freeform, can i say that if i haven't added any pairings yet?, like they should be LET THEM BE FLUFFY AND EMOTIONAL, some foul language
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-11
Updated: 2020-01-11
Packaged: 2021-02-27 08:55:22
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,462
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22204450
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Plixel/pseuds/Plixel
Summary: Becoming a guardian angel.That was the goal Woorim had been working towards for years, countless nights spent internalizing the rich history of the humans he would soon be sworn to protect. He couldn't have been more excited at the prospect of tasting the same freedom humanity had been granted by Her, learning to live as a part of their society and helping his future ward find true happiness.What he never could have guessed, however, was that he'd not only get one human to look after, but straight up three disastrous ones.(He loved them and wouldn't trade them for the world, but fuck him if they didn't test his patience on the regular.)*************Okay, so this is my first ever proper fanfiction and, not gonna lie, it's a nonsensical mess. I tried my best though, so I hope you enjoy it! :)
Relationships: Ko Woorim (Forestella) & 포레스텔라 | Forestella (Band), Relationships to be added
Comments: 2
Kudos: 3





	You Are My Guardian Angel Of Mine

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome to what was supposed to be a One-Shot but instead turned out to be a Very Long-Winded multi-part disaster :)))  
> My lovely child and moot on twitter @jaeducky had the idea of a guardian angel au with our lil bear looking after his hyungs and what can i say - my head and heart exploded ;;;; Anyway, I hope you're prepared for a very wordy and description-heavy fanfic, since that's my shit yooo  
> If you find any typos or weird grammar, please let me know, so I can edit it accordingly! (here comes the disclaimer)
> 
> !!! DISCLAIMER !!!
> 
> This fictional work is in no way, shape or form reflective of the real world. Any and all characters in this fictional work do NOT represent any real people/celebrities; some names are borrowed and that is the extent of intended similarities. Please do NOT take this seriously, as this work is pure fiction, only meant for entertainment. Thank you for your understanding and sensible discretion.

With trembling hands, he touched his hair up for what he promised would be the last time. He had been at it for far too long today, not that his regular hair routine was any more time-efficient. But today was very important. Though he knew his looks wouldn’t help him in any practical way, he wanted to make himself feel as comfortable as he could. And if that meant spending approximately two hours in the bathroom making sure no strand of hair stuck out in a way it shouldn’t and none of his light lilac feathers had flittered out of place, then so be it. Today, he couldn’t afford to be distracted by worrying about menial stuff like this. Today, all his focus would be spent on show-casing his guarding abilities. He knew he could do it, he simply had to.

On his way out, he put on one of his many black suit jackets and took one last scrutinizing look into the full-body mirror beside his front door. His dark brown hair covered his forehead in little, controlled waves, just the way he liked it – though he couldn’t help but flick his fingers through it again. Trying not to stare long enough to notice all the things he didn’t like, he puffed his chest up, slapped his cheeks and took off. 

Absent-mindedly floating through Coelumia was one of his favourite past-times whenever he felt the need to vent his mind for a bit, though the currently more frantic beat of his wings carried him with a clear goal through the awakening city in the clouds. He weaved through wider and more narrow passages without paying any mind to them, only altering his projectile to avoid bumping into someone, his body having memorized this exact route a long time ago. The soft pastel colours of the homes and shops he flew past merged into a mix of pinks and lilacs and corals and blues, which resulted in him forgetting to stop by Taein’s coffee shop so the older could give him his promised pep talk and hot cocoa. He had even planned in a little more time for the visit. Well, he’d have to deal with the backlash later – not that he was too worried about that: Taein was full of mischief but an absolute sweetheart who couldn’t hold a grudge for the life of him. 

After a few minutes, he arrived at the Haven. Surrounded by colourful buildings that hosted various guilds and organizational establishments – as well as a few cafes and restaurants here and there – the Haven of Coelumia unfolded before him, a large and round open space built out of smooth, white granite planes, their black flecks twinkling in the morning sun, small groups of angels milling about, entering and leaving buildings or opening their businesses for the day. Turning his gaze from the pleasant hum of liveliness to the ground again, he took in how the granite plates were subtly arranged and shaded so that they stretched out as a pair of grand wings, the spread-out feathers touching a building at the edge of the Haven each. At the tips of the tenth feathers of both wings, a wide set of stairs narrowed down and lead up to the Forum, proudly rearing its head into the clouds.  
Unlike every other building in Coelumia that was obviously made by the hands of angels, Her Sanctum broke through the ground as a single, enormous crystal that towered over the whole city with a height of several hundreds of meters, before dipping into a thick blanket of clouds above, wrapping around its walls and concealing its true scale. Contrasting with its tiny neighbours, all coloured in soft pastel tones, the Forum shone in vibrant, deep shades of sapphire and cobalt to fiery bursts of crimson and amber that flowed into the soothing touches of sage and emerald. With a million shades in-between, the Forum seemed to pulsate with vitality, veins of gold running and flittering through its hardened skin.  
There were several longish cracks on different levels of the otherwise even crystalline surface, acting as windows and allowing the sun to illuminate the building.  
His school was located on the west wing, at the tip of the eighth feather, so he had come here almost every day for the past six years of his life, but he never got used to the sight of Her Sanctum. Today would be the first time he would enter it and, hopefully, it wouldn’t be his last.

***

He entered the Forum, kneading his hands and picking at his hair every once in a while, after he had spent the last fifteen minutes worrying in front of the large, cracked opening that marked the entrance, haphazardly fixing his appearance again, since it had gotten quite dishevelled by his flight. He got multiple curious looks thrown his way and even a few curt words of encouragement. He smiled and inclined his head in gratitude, finding it reassuring that he obviously was one of many that come here every day for their Evaluation. He tried not to think about how insecure and out of place he must look for all those angels to take notice.

Having regained his composure, he stepped farther into the hall and, after a brief moment of hesitation, headed for the counter isle, arranged in a neat circle at the centre of the hall. Several short lines of angels waiting their turn stood around the registry, so he joined the one closest to him. Letting his eyes roam across the same colours he had been marvelling at outside, he craned his neck upwards. The ceiling was incredibly high, as expected, though he couldn’t make out where it actually was due to the blanket of clouds seeping in from the outside, completely covering it. Through the peculiar windows, the warm morning glow of the sun bathed the interior in its serene light. He felt a little overwhelmed, with all the small flashes of sunlight ricocheting off the walls and the deep black, marble-plated floor. He gulped heavily and closed his eyes, his hand on his heart as if it would help his heart to beat any slower. 

After spending a short while waiting in line, he stepped up to the registry. He was greeted by a warm smile on a plump face that matched the woman’s curvy body. She looked like she had dipped herself, neck to toes, into the evening sky, her skin-tight gown sparkling in purple tints with her every movement. She exuded confidence and beauty, her deep brown skin glowing. Her chuckle made him snap out of his stupor and he immediately tried to stutter out an apology, awkwardly tumbling over his words. She put up her hand slightly, so he shut his mouth and shyly looked into her surprisingly bright but rich amber eyes. “Don’t worry, hun. I tend to have that effect on people”, she winked at him. To his surprise, this made him exhale a breath of relief and even smile a little.  
“So”, she began, “What can I do for you, sweetheart? I can clearly see you’re nervous, young and definitely new here, from the way you stare at everything and everyone, hm?”, he chuckled lightly, “I’m guessing you’re here for your Evaluation, hm?” Her soothing voice had already calmed him down a bit, so he swallowed his still lingering trepidation and answered her: “Ah, yes, ma’am. I’m supposed to meet Her at eight o’ clock. I’m a bit early, I’m sorry”. She had typed something into her typewriter while he spoke, humming when she was finished. “Yes, that’s what I thought. Woorim, am I right? From the Rainforest string?” He nodded and she completed the form in front of her, sending it off with a ping as it vanished into thin air.

“Alright, hun!” She clapped her hands, making him jump slightly. She stopped herself, mustering him with a tilt of her head. It was only a second, but it made him shrink into himself all the same, trying to disappear in his slightly misfitted suit. She pressed her lips into a determined line and excused herself charmingly to the people waiting behind him.  
Taking two steps back, she turned around and shouted out: “Jungmin, can you cover me for a bit? I need to take this little cub to Her room.”  
At this, another beautiful angel emerged from behind a few wooden boxes stacked at the other side of the round counter. His arms full of what looked like rolls of enchanted parchment and ink for the typewriters, he yelled back: “Ugh, Hyunjung! Again?”. He shook his head in an irritated manner, though the affectionate smile betrayed his true feeling towards his colleague’s apparently reoccurring antics. Hyunjung only grinned and clapped Jungmin on his back after he had promptly put down his previous task and joined them with a scoff. A quick “Thanks, sweetie!” to her colleague and she was beside a puzzled Woorim, taking his hand and flying off towards the ceiling. Before they were out of earshot, he could hear a faint “Coffee is on you next time!” from below them.

***

As they made their ascent, he felt Hyunjung chuckle again. “You’ve got a strong grip there, cub”, and only then did he notice the bone-crushing grasp he had captured her hand in, quickly letting go and instead fumbling with his jacket buttons. He wasn’t one to often initiate any kind of skinship since he hated making others uncomfortable, but that resulted in him overindulging in it whenever someone else took the lead - though Woorim would never admit his need for physical closeness out loud, thank you very much.  
“Oh, it’s okay, honey. I sensed you being”, she paused in thought, “well, a nervous wreck, to be honest, though you do have a phenomenal poker-face, I’ll give you that. But I’m an expert at seeing through people’s birdshit”, she smiled at him, making this uncomfortable truth he was well-aware of that much more digestible. “And I’m especially good at knowing when our babies need a little extra hand”, she continued. Huffing, Woorim made sure his already unusually deep voice was especially firm and rumbling: “I’m not a baby. I really appreciate your concern, but there is no need for giving me any special treatment, really!”. Her loud and booming laugh startled him out of his fake bravado, it reminded him of a well-worn saxophone. “Sweetheart, there’s no need for you to get sulky with me! I saw your age on your identification form earlier, you are one of our youngest, soon-to-be guardian angels.” Hyunjung had put a reassuring hand on his shoulder, which she used to stop him at this moment, as they had seemingly arrived at the right level. “Besides, I’m not gonna lie, hun. This is technically special treatment, though I do this more often than you think, bless Jungmin’s heart”, her smile turned into a smirk full of mischief as she took her hand from his shoulder to pinch his cheek, “But I couldn’t have resisted that handsome face, even if I tried”. Woorim felt his face warm up a little and gently removed her hand. He was extremely embarrassed right now, but he was even more thankful for the pleasant and distracting company the beautiful angel turned out to be.

Through her warm and reassuring presence, Hyunjung had made him forget about his upcoming Evaluation completely. His nerves had temporarily turned into shy smiles, his racing thoughts into random but familiar associations. So he beamed at her, with rosy cheeks and eyes turned into slim crescents.  
“Thank you, Miss Hyunjung. I really appreciate this”, he ended with bowing his head to her, a sincere gesture of respect and gratitude. This time, he caught her off-guard, with her lips parted and a look of gleeful surprise on her face. She exhaled and put her hands on her hips. “You’re really something, huh?”. 

Before he could question what Hyunjung meant by that, she stepped behind Woorim and pushed at his shoulders, guiding him through the opening in the wall they had stopped at and towards the very end of a slim hall. “Now, now. We don’t want you to be late, so I’m gonna make this quick.” They stood before a simple, wooden door that shimmered in all the colours of the rainbow when the sunlight hit it just right. “I know this is pretty scary since they couldn’t prep you all for this in School, at Her request. But I can tell that you’re gonna do great, hear me?” He nodded assertively, seeing Hyunjung struggle a bit with how to encourage him properly. He didn’t want her to worry needlessly. 

“Okay, good, then this is all I can offer you” She moved from her position behind him to face him directly, still resting her hands on his shoulders. “There is absolutely no need to be anxious in front of Her. No, I know, don’t look at me like that. ‘It’s easier said than done when you’re not the one meeting the Creator of the universe for the first time’, yadda yadda, but trust me”, she looked right through him, “There is no one who wants you to succeed more than She does. For your sake and for theirs. No false bravado, just be sincere like you were with me back there, okay, cub?” The openness and the warmth she offered so freely made him want to hug her. And apparently sensing it, she did just that, whispering one last “You got this, hun” before stepping back and motioning for him to knock. After taking a deep breath, he did.

***  
Following a faint but clear voice welcoming him in, he marveled at the interior of Her room as he entered, since he couldn’t quite bring himself to look into her face just yet.  
Other than the grandiose architecture of the Forum, all pristine and magnificent bouts of elegantly coloured stone, Her room was a mix of, well, everything.  
The floor was of a rich chestnut brown and the walls were painted a light lime-like green, reminding Woorim of the forest he lived beside. 

The furniture was mismatched. A modern black-and-white coffee table stood before a worn, flaming red leather sofa, which faced the east wall that was lined with ancient, massive bookshelves packed with all kinds of literature. The thinned-out patchwork rug looked like its initial use had been a blanket and the walls, as well as all other possible surfaces, were pretty much littered with small pictures of angels. All smiling, obviously filled with joy, and all caught in the moment. He was astounded by how homely and cosy Her room felt, how at home he felt in here. 

“Woorim! Good morning to you”, he turned and finally looked at Her, with Her gentle and crystal-clear voice prickling his attention. The close-mouthed smile on Her face made him feel both welcome and nervous, and as he stepped up to the front of her large, cluttered desk, he noticed how different She was from what he had imagined. She wasn’t a smooth-faced youth with golden hair and big, wise eyes, delicate hands as perfectly maintained as everything else about Her outer appearance. No, She was something else entirely, but it fit so much better.

Her silver hair spoke of the countless centuries She had lived through, a bit frizzed and unkempt, falling loosely past her chin in a slight curl. Her skin was of a golden colour and wrinkled in places that conveyed Her constant worry about Her creation, as well as Her unending joy in seeing them thrive, one way or the other. Her long neck was bare and held with relaxed dignity, which was true for her entire posture. She was clad in a loose summerly dress that was a strikingly bright shade of white.  
And Her eyes. At least he had been right about one thing, though he had underestimated it wildly. Her irises were unusually large and completely black. No light reflected off them, instead, small specks seemed to emit out of them, reminiscent of a dozen north stars in the vast night sky of a century-long winter. Wisdom was not enough to describe the look of utter serenity in Her eyes. Serenity, because She knew all. She was assured in every way and welcomed every outcome with the utmost compassion one could imagine. For once in his life, Woorim felt himself tear up, even though there was nothing sad or painful about this situation. 

Just the simple fact that yes, there was someone who understood him completely and yes, there was someone who would love him unconditionally no matter what path he took, and yes, there was Her, who found him worthy. Of love, of responsibility, of everything he felt himself undeserving of, every now and again.

“Oh, that’s a new one for you, isn’t it, Woorim? Don’t worry, it’s alright, have a seat and calm down. Then we’ll begin” He nodded and followed her guide, regaining his composure after a few deep breaths. “Thank you”, he inclined his head and added a soft “for everything.” He was met with her upturned eyes smiling at him: “Of course. You know, I think this won’t take all that long”. 

***

They talked about everything, really talked instead of Her simply interrogating him. Woorim learned of Her unrivalled love for cats, from the large and majestic kings of the savanna to the tiniest but no less elegant of the domesticated ones humans liked to keep as company. She was not afraid to openly gush about the things She loved, which encompassed everything in one way or another. Not that they had talked about every single one of her creations, but the immeasurable affection in Her eyes when it was Woorim’s turn to share his interests was enough to assure him of that fact. Apparently, She shared his keen interest in human music and was ecstatic when he had gathered up the courage to tell Her how much he loved to sing. Classical music in particular, which held so much emotion and history and character that he could dedicate countless hours to one piece only, if that’s what it took to master the exact expressions in both his voice and face to properly portray its story. 

Through the pleasant conversation, Woorim didn’t even realize he was being evaluated. Although he would, later on: He remembered the way Her head would slightly tilt when She wanted him to overcome his nervousness and confidently pick up the words he had tripped over again, and the slightly raised corner of Her lips whenever he managed to do so.  
It occurred to him afterward, when he took time to sort his head outside Her room, that the content of their conversation wasn’t what was being evaluated. Why would it be, She knew everything factual about him anyway. No, his ability to listen and to understand on the spot, to empathize and adequately display genuine interest as well as affection not only for his conversational partner but for the things and people they had talked about as well. Him noticing and responding to Her expressions was probably part of it, too. He gulped.  
Or had he failed early on, prompting Her to simply cut his Evaluation short? He knew nothing about how this whole thing was supposed to work and that was making his thoughts run laps in his mind.

Had he been overzealous? He knew he could be uselessly chatty when excited, did he seem immature? Unfit for the job? Not good enough?  
With slumped shoulders and his eyes planted firmly on the floor, Woorim made his slow descent to the main hall, burrowing himself deeper into doubt and feeding an ever-growing sense of failure. Without minding the business around him, he exited the Forum and let himself drop onto the stairs leading down into the Haven, seemingly dragging on without a purpose.

He hadn’t noticed the clouds passing by in crowded masses and giving way to the strong burn of the midday sun, until a warm hand landed on his shoulder. Slowly, as he lacked the energy to pull himself out of his slump, he looked up into Hyunjung’s kind face, now lined with worry. “Honey, what are you still doing here?”, she turned her head to a group of angels waiting for her and motioned to head off without her as she sat down with a soft sigh, “You look like you’re about to faint, darling, what happened?”. 

Woorim looked into her eyes, truly looked, and swallowed it down. It didn’t feel good, it never did, but this was the right thing to do for now. “Oh, hey Miss Hyunjung-”, she fluttered her hand in front of her face, her expression mocking that of disgust, as if she wanted to shoo the ‘Miss’ away, “Sorry, Hyunjung. I’m just drained after the Evaluation and I forgot to eat, I guess. So, I do feel a little faint, but I’m okay”. He tried to look fine, as best he could, though he imagined it looked more like someone had painted a tight-lipped smile on his blank, masked face. He had practiced managing his expressions in the mirror, though he hadn’t improved as much as he wanted to. The worry on her face deepened and she leaned in a little closer: “Are you sure? Screw that, I can see that you aren’t”. 

She suddenly stood up with a determined expression, the strong grip she’d placed on his arm forcing him to do the same. “We’re gonna have some quality us-time, this is no way of starting your life as a guardian angel”, she had already taken off, leaving Woorim to scramble with keeping the beat of his wings in tandem with hers. Mumbling for her to please slow down and explain where they were heading, he still let himself be dragged away by the surprisingly strong angel. He felt guilty for making her bail on her friends and waste her time just because of him, though he couldn’t deny that his heart ached a little less as a result.

They flew in uncomfortable silence for a while, until Woorim realized he knew the route they were taking quite well. Hyunjung wasn’t going to bring him to his place now, was she?  
But sure enough, after a few turns, he was greeted with large, mismatched letters of wood, steel and all kinds of odd materials inviting him “INTO THE RABBIT’S HOLE”. Right below the boldly displayed name, the entrance to a cosy little café showed an interior illuminated by dimmed down lamps and the soft sunshine that reached through its broad, brown-tinted glass planes. Delicate fairy-lights decorated the numerous photographs hung all around the space, all of patrons that visited the owner every once in a while – a fairly new picture of Woorim hung big and prominent on a metal string attached to the railing of the open second floor. 

Taein had proudly presented his newest addition to his ever-growing collection, claiming that the younger’s “cute, little face” would attract more patrons than his excellently brewed coffee ever could, which was total birdshit. Woorim wasn’t one to say no to such a menial thing though, especially if having these pictures around seemed to make Taein genuinely happy. Besides, it was a pretty good shot of him holding his face in imitation of a blooming flower and smiling jokingly, after Taein had made silly comments to make him more comfortable in front of the camera.

As the duo entered, a small silver bell rang its familiar tune, alerting the owner of the newcomers. The tall angel stood behind the bar, putting the last touches on what looked to be a heavenly cup of hot cocoa (Pun fully intended). His head shot up and so did his trademark smile which regularly outshone the sun on her best days. His massive but lithe wings rose up in glee, their unique colour making it look like warm light was constantly shining through them. Woorim was a little apprehensive, not sure if he could handle the older’s energy. At least, that’s what he told himself, but he felt better already, looking into that familiar face so full of joy. 

“Woorim! What happened with coming in before your Evaluation?”, the taller quickly rounded the bar and enveloped Woorim into a tight hug, clapping him on the back a few times. He gave Hyunjung the same treatment, loosely placing his arm on her shoulder as he faced Woorim again. “Taein, hello”, he replied a lot less energetically, “I’m sorry for bailing on you, I was just- I’m sorry”. The barista’s smile dimmed a bit, making place for confusion and concern. He stood up straight and paced back to his place behind the counter, determination in his steps. “Well, no harm done, so don’t you even worry about that”. While his tall friend quickly took flight with his freshly brewed cocoa to serve it, his abductor gently pushed Woorim towards the bar and took a seat beside him. 

Taein returned in the blink of an eye and immediately made himself busy with brewing a cup of coffee. “So”, Hyunjung began, “How come you two know each other?” Woorim was dying to ask the same question to the both of them, but politely answered: “We met during our Schooling. That was about three years ago, I think?” He turned his questioning gaze towards Taein. “That’s right! Since then, we’ve been hanging out pretty often”, he added, “What can I say, he just can’t get enough of me!” Taein winked cheekily, which made the younger shake his head in faked expiration, his upturned lips betraying them. 

The three of them fell into light-hearted chat after that. Apparently Hyunjung and Taein had grown up together, fell apart and only now found each other again, a few months back. They made it sound extremely dramatic, so Woorim didn’t doubt how well they fit with each other. Their love for mischief and theatrics aside, they seemed to take care of the people around them in a similar, familial kind of way. Seeing them bicker with each other and sharing all kinds of past adventures made him content, as he now knew that the both of them had people as wonderful as each other in their life. He pointedly ignored the tight knot growing bigger in his chest.

When the sun was starting to near the horizon, he exchanged contacts with Hyunjung as well as a promise of heading out for a coffee sometime – which he then also had to give to Taein – and said his goodbyes. He didn’t think he could dodge their subtle questions for much longer. Especially the barista’s, who tried to pry any and all information about his Evaluation from him, not lastly because the older was going to attend his own in an hour. But rules were rules, no disclosure about the Evaluation to anyone. Wishing his friend good luck, Woorim rushed home, relieved to finally be in the safety of his own four walls again, but the tightness in his chest remained. 

In a daze, his feet led him to his bedroom. It was a mess, as per usual, study material on various historic eras, the human condition and an abundance of various music covering almost every surface entirely. His fingers flitted through a few pages of an essay on the effect of music on the human psyche that were strewn across his bed. Maybe, if he had just tried a little harder, if he had just stopped nodding off in his classes, if he had just been better. Maybe then he would be packing his belongings by now, instead of wallowing in his regret. His gaze wandered towards the large window taking up the left side of his room and noticed that the sun had begun to set. He hadn’t even realized the darkness. Not until his eyes caught onto his own reflection, his face, framed by wings that seemed an icy blue now, blankly staring back at him with streaks of tears across his cheeks.

***

Woorim barely left his bedroom the next two days, not even thinking about stepping foot outside his apartment. While he did dig himself deeper and deeper into his self-doubt, he actually took the time to work restlessly through all the study material he felt the need to improve himself on. Which was futile, because once he got through the first batch, his thoughts caught up to him and he found something else he wanted to better himself in. At the end of the second day, he realised how little he had slept – which was to say, he didn’t at all – when his body refused to let him get off of his bed in order to get some more books, and he finally passed out, his sleep deep and dreamless.

He woke up the next morning with his head about to burst and a foul taste in his mouth. His body felt rested, though Woorim only wished he could say the same about his mind. His thoughts hadn’t stopped their rampant course, the only thing that changed was that, now, it felt like they were swimming in the cotton candy that filled his skull uncomfortably. He dragged himself into his bathroom for a cold shower, which didn’t help much at all, though his now brushed teeth left a more pleasant aroma, at least. As he rinsed the remainder of toothpaste out his mouth, he was taken aback by an incessant banging that just wouldn’t quiet down. He patted his face dry and hurried towards his front door which shook with the force of someone seemingly throwing themselves at it. He opened it and a very agitated Taein came falling in, face first. Woorim managed to catch him by his shoulders, about to ask what in the nine hells had happened, but the older interrupted his attempts to form a question with: “What are you still doing here, dude?!” 

Before he could even attempt to throw that right back at him, Taein was pushing him back towards his bedroom, where he left his younger friend for his wooden closet. Throwing a classic black suit at him, complete with a black dress shirt and a dark red bowtie, the taller rushed him to get dressed. Woorim complied, if only because he was deeply confused by his friend’s sudden and very aggressive appearance. As he struggled to properly fasten his dark lacquer dress shoes, Taein towered over him and clumsily tied his tie: “Thank Her Almightiness I have an incredible sense of how much of a fucking dingus you are, otherwise I’d be at our Initiation right now, alone, and you’d be out of your first and probably only job!” Woorim gulped, rushing out of his apartment after Taein, now that he was fully clothed. 

If Taein was cursing, it meant he had angered his friend big time, though the other angel’s hand firmly clasped around his gave him hope that, maybe, this anger was born out of worry instead of something less redeemable. The cool morning air rushing by cleared up the last bits of cotton candy still clouding the younger’s mind and, frowning, he murmured: “You know, this is useless. I didn’t pass the Evaluation anyway.” When that didn’t prompt a response, he tried again, getting louder and more irritated: “Did you hear what I said? I didn’t pass, so let it go” More silence. Woorim couldn’t even make out his face, being dragged along like a lifeless doll. His chest tightened again, and he started to struggle, silently, so as to not alert any nearby angels unnecessarily. Taein wasn’t as… subtle though. The older angel stopped suddenly, making Woorim crash into him. Whirling around, Taein shouted it: “Stop it, okay?! This is not the time for your fucking self-pity, snap out of it! You don’t even know if you passed or not, so just fucking stop giving into what birdshit you have made up in your head!” 

Silence. Very uncomfortable silence took over, the few angels who had been going about their day around them had stopped, staring in shock and concern. A large hand cupped his face and gently turned it back towards Taein. All Woorim could see in his eyes was sadness. “Please.”, he almost whispered, “Don’t do this to yourself. I know you struggle with seeing how wonderful you are, and I wish I could take that away from you. I fucking wish you could see yourself through my eyes every second of the day, as the caring, talented, smart and hard-working weirdo of a little angel you are, but I can’t. And it eats me up to see you go down that spiral when you think nobody is looking or, even worse, when you make yourself believe nobody cares. Because I do. So much. And I know that you’re able to see yourself in that way, too. I see the pride in your eyes when your hard work at School paid off, when we slay a duet we’d been at for hours” Taein had enveloped him in a tight hug, Woorim didn’t know when and didn’t care as he hid his teary eyes in his friend’s shoulder, a small but genuine smile growing on his face. “So, please. Have a little faith in yourself, hm? And if you can’t muster that up right now, just trust me. Have I ever let you down?” Taein slowly loosened the embrace to wipe at the younger’s eyes, offering an encouraging smile. Woorim returned it, before scrunching his brows in thought: “Well, if you ask like that…” A light slap cut him off and the two dissolved into light giggles. 

As their laughter died down, Woorim took a long look at his friend. He was grateful.  
For having this wonderful angel by his side, for sharing his sunshine with him, for letting him know that he was right there when dark times tried to convince him otherwise.  
For encouraging him to better himself, for always listening and respecting his thoughts, for always trying to understand and for remaining by his side, even when he couldn’t.  
He took Taein’s hand into his and beamed: “Thank you for being by my side, brother.” And he took off, towards their goal, without giving his friend time to answer. In a way, his tightening grip was answer enough.

***

As they arrived at the Haven, Woorim cautiously halted his friend. There was still something very important that needed clearance. “Taein, wait, so- Like, I don’t want to seem like I didn’t listen to you back then because I did, love you, but… I honest to Her don’t actually know if I passed the Evaluation?” At that Taein’s face reddened and he sucked a bit of air through his teeth. The younger waited curiously for what his friend was about to say. “Oh yeah, right! Sorry, I was so upset seeing you like that, and I probably should’ve given you this to begin with”, he rambled, sheepishly fishing out a folded parchment out of his suit jacket and handing it to Woorim. As he read through his very own, formal Congratulation form and Invitation to his Initiation with awe, Taein hastily explained that he found the letter in front of the smaller angel’s front door, where it apparently had been waiting for Woorim to be found in time. Sighing mildly, he cut Taein off: “Don’t worry about it, Tae. I mean, you really should have led with this, but it doesn’t really matter now”. This massaging system really needed some improvement, though that fact couldn’t dim the angels growing smile.

Flying toward the ninth feather of the east wing, Woorim tried to swallow down the jumble of nerves that made his hand flitter through his hair and his heartbeat too fast for him to catch up. Once they entered the Praesidium, representative office of all guardian angels, they’d be meeting one of the Designated, as the letter had informed him. He hoped they wouldn’t be assigned to the legend of the Protectorate sector the duo had been studying so long to be allowed to guard; that particular senior had always been a little bit scary to the younger.

As they entered the Praesidium, Woorim kept himself firmly attached to his friend’s side. The rows of smooth, wooden steps were filled with angels silently waiting beside all kinds of doors, which were strewn about the round structure of the building. The duo floated towards the counter in the middle of the room, reminiscent of the registry at the Forum, only smaller and with only two angels attending. Taein informed a very small and very tired looking angel of their impending Initiation, though he interrupted his friend promptly, a smirk returning some spirit to his exhausted eyes as he pointed somewhere behind him without taking a look. “The fancy looking one, dark brown”, he chuckled and lowered his arm. Woorim spotted the finely crafted wooden door at the very top of the steps, with no one sitting in its near vicinity. “You two are Hoonjeong’s boys, I’ve heard of you.”

The younger snapped his head back to the registrar, eyes wide with disbelief. Taein felt the same shock, judging by the way they repeatedly exchanged nervous glances, a back-and-forth between them and the angel in front of them who was now visibly straining to hold back proper laughter. “Won’t hold you back any longer, though I’m virtually dying of curiosity.”, he motioned them towards the door, “Go on, knock. And good luck!” 

***

Coming to a halt before the somehow imposing door, the two hesitated. “Well, uhm… Yay us, we got our sector of choice?”, Taein offered with a nervous chuckle. Woorim agreed with a slight nod, they sure did get assigned to the part of the Protectorate they had been prepping for these past years. They also got exactly what he had been afraid of. But it was fine. He put his hand beneath the lapel of his jacket, right above his heart, to help it settle down. Taein eyed him for a moment and then straightened his back, taking the initiative with a confident knock.

A voice beckoned them in, too muted for Woorim to make out what exactly was said and, more importantly, in which tone of voice. Taein opened the door and entered, his younger friend close to his side. The door fell shut behind them and, instinctively, Woorim gripped onto the older’s arm as the room around them rotated into nothingness for a brief second, before coming back around with a whizz. It happened so fast that everything blurred, though the soft thud of their feet landing on a carpeted floor set the world straight again.

The room they had apparently been teleported to – a very new and confusing sensation to Woorim, though he’d heard other angels’ description of it – was breathtakingly beautiful, in a dusty, rustic kind of way. It was very sparsely lit, by small, old-fashioned lampions that floated around the interior of the space, which was clad in dark brown wooden planks. It was round and about the size of the entire entry hall of the Praesidium, which was to say about twenty meters in radius. Adjacent to the doorway, a large, oval-shaped window took up a good ten square meters of the wall, allowing Woorim to marvel at an infinite night sky, though the two angels seemed to be impossibly close to the glowing orbs and shimmering lights outside.

Looking back at Taein, he followed his companions wandering eyes towards the rows upon rows of books, placed neatly into bookshelves. They were built into the walls all around them and reached up toward the ceiling, which was way higher up than he had initially noticed. And there he spotted a pair of dark blue wings carrying an archangel downward, where he elegantly leaned his hips against the massive and immaculately kept secretaire, stationed in front of the only window, arms crossed expectantly.

This being the first time Woorim had met Hoonjeong from the Mountainrise string, legendary guardian angel of the Korean sector of the Protectorate, he was surprised to find how delicate the elder looked. His slight stature was apparent, though that did nothing to diminish his immense presence and the dignity presented in every move. He seemed to embody elegance in its most mesmerizing form, the dark blue velvet suit combined with a creamy white and frilled dress shirt only further accentuated his majestic appearance. Now that the archangel stood in better lighting, his long wings, folded and framing his body, appeared to be blue only where they met his shoulders. For the rest of their expanse, they were of an almost blackish purple that transitioned into warm reds at the tips of their feathers. His handsome face managed to look timeless with its sharp features, but his eyes were a whole other story. While they bore through his new proteges with their intensity, they also held a certain playfulness within them. Woorim’s attention was commanded by the grand senior immediately.

“Welcome, my angels, to your Initiation”, Hoonjeong’s voice conquered the space with ease, bouncing around the high walls, his casual tone mocking the formality of his greeting, “I’ve been briefed about you two by Her and I have to admit”, his unreadable expression gave way to a small smile. The playfulness in his dark eyes sparked and elicited excitement in his listeners. “I was surprised to find that I liked what I heard.” 

Hoonjeong pushed himself off his desk, making his way over to the duo. They inclined their heads hurriedly and the elder did the same, though with much more poise and calm.  
“Not to scare you off, but I usually don’t… enjoy working with newbies”, he started, as he mustered both of them carefully, “Many young guardian angels come here, thinking they have some kind of special authority over their wards. They end up as tyrants, either in their social circle or on a… more grand scale, but I’m sure you learned about that in School. Some”, he hesitated for a split-second, “Some even see them as their own personal playthings, you could say”. Hoonjeong twisted his mouth in disgust and his eyes, now firmly trained on a spot behind them, on something - or someone - that was existent in another time and space, were filled with hurt.

Although he couldn’t know what that lapse of composure was about, Woorim felt sad.  
Sad that there were angels out there thinking themselves higher than their wards, even though angels had been created in the image of humans. Sad that there were those same human beings living with supposed friends, family members or even partners that ruled over them and belittled them, instead of providing love and warmth where it was needed.  
And he felt sad that this undefeated legend of guardian angels, who’d never once given up on a ward and never once let someone under his protection wither away like so many others had, that someone as admirable as Hoonjeong had been hurt and wronged for him to look as devastated as he did in that blink of an eye.

Woorim felt the overwhelming urge to hug him, but he suppressed that as best he could. This was his superior, for Her sake. His arm still twitched toward the elder’s shoulder, which made those sharp eyes snap back to the present and, more precisely, bore into the younger angel’s. “It’s alright”, he assured with a crooked smile, “Woorim, was it? And Taein. It’s a pleasure to meet you. Truly.” He told them about his conversation with Her without revealing anything, really. As much as that frustrated Woorim, he couldn’t help but admire the restriction and precision with which Hoonjeong chose his words; something that the young angel never quite mastered. Well, not by a long stretch, but these days he had grown quieter and more reserved, enjoying to observe and think things through before engaging in any way.

“The pleasure- or Honour? Well, both! They’re both all ours!”, Taein exclaimed, beaming at the elder excitedly. That elicited a genuine chuckle from him and a gentle elbow-jab in his rips from Woorim. Shaking his head amused, Hoonjeong took a step back and started a slow ascend, prompting them to follow his lead. “You two are quite the pair. Reminds me of my partners”, he recounted as the flew higher and higher, “Things are going to get tough down there, very tough. And in those times a true friend is worth more than all those years of Schooling”. Sending a smirk their way, he concluded: “But you didn’t hear that from me”

***

“So”, he exclaimed when they arrived at the very top of the room, “We’re going to enter the Electio now. From there on, until we leave it again, I demand that you two be silent, concentrated and respectful” His eyes didn’t allow a speck of disobedience, not that the duo had spared a single thought to do so. “It’s a place filled with divine energy, you could say. Every stream of life from our sector of the Protectorate is connected to it, by the hand of Her. Keep that in mind and behave accordingly”, he finished and turned upward to open a hatch that was wide enough for them to fly through, one by one.

Entering the Electio, he was immediately struck by how alive it felt, made him feel. It audibly pulsated in deep hums, countless pale green strings of light flaring up in tandem. They touched the glass globe that divided the room from the same starry sky Woorim had admired earlier, and as he looked up and through where the translucent lightning ropes came together thick to lead away from the globe, he understood why the stars seemed so close. They were in outer space. He could make out Earth through the light as he looked on, which was a little nauseating but more so exhilarating.  
Woorim turned back to Hoonjeong, who was waiting patiently for them before he continued: “Now, before we start, I want to make sure you two understand”, they nodded for him to go on, “Not everyone is able to find their wards, even if they pass their Evaluation”, the younger gulped. Yes, they were well aware. 

The young angels had been told since the beginning that, if they decided to take the Path of a guardian’s Schooling, there would be no guarantee that they would be chosen by a fitting ward. Even She, with Her all-encompassing knowledge, couldn’t foresee which humans lend themselves to the Bond. And that was what had fascinated Woorim from the beginning. Humans weren’t bound by fate, they weren’t part of Her controlled empire of chaos and coincidences, for She had freed them from it a long time ago. A mother, seeing her children grow and flourish, had chosen to spare them from inevitability, she had chosen to gift them her most treasured gift, freedom. But it had turned out to be the most dangerous one as well. So, she created the Bond, a divine and human connection between a guardian angel and their ward, and granted the few Chosen ones among the angels that same gift, should they want to pursue it, with one condition: Protect their human from the dangers that the darkness in their own blood had brought upon them. 

Being able to experience true freedom. Being able to guard a soul from the darkness he himself had only brief tastes of. Being there for somebody and giving his all.  
Woorim felt resolution bubble up inside of him, determination grounding his eyes. He had worked restlessly for this, he was ready.

Suddenly, Hoonjeong’s eyes snapped to his, piercing right through him. The young angel could see him smiling knowingly before the elder started speaking again:  
“So! I know it won’t be easy for you, should you not be chosen today. Don’t be afraid to voice your emotions, and don’t be afraid of what’s to come. There are many more fields in need of your expertise, many within the guardian’s sector. For this, I refer you to the Office of Calling, you’ll find proper guidance there.” It seemed like a memorized advertisement and the archangel’s lack of an attempt to deny that this was exactly what it was made Woorim chuckle, though he quickly stifled his laughter behind his hand.

Taein, on the other hand, had anxiously clutched onto his friend’s arm, who was determined to stay calm and focused. As Woorim felt the other squirm, he turned towards his friend and knew that it was his turn to be there for the other. He took the taller angel’s hand in both of his: “It’s okay, brother. Remember that little speech you gave me?” Taein nodded slightly, not really paying attention to what the younger was saying, so Woorim pinched his hand and continued with his friend’s slightly irritated eyes trained on him: “You convinced me in a minute that I shouldn’t throw away my one chance at accomplishing my dream that I- No, we both have been working on for years. But more than that, you reminded me of all those times you have been a guardian angel to me.” Taein looked at his younger friend confused, weakly starting to protest, but Woorim was quick to cut him off: “Being there and reassuring me whenever I thought I’d be left behind and I wasn’t good enough? Laughing and joking with me on my brightest days, just being happy because of my happiness? What about all the sleepless nights you spend helping me through material I just couldn’t wrap my head around? Or better yet, all the times you spend with me in the darkness of my room, listening to my ramblings and lending me your heart when I cried and your advice when I needed it the most? Taein”, Woorim tightened his grip and tried to convey the endless gratitude he felt through his eyes. “You are not only the best friend an angel could hope for, you are a true guardian angel”.

Taeins lip quivered almost invisibly. The younger smiled at that, giving the other a short but tight hug. They jumped apart when Hoonjeong cleared his throat, obviously a little ticked off, though Woorim could’ve sworn he saw the corners of his mouth turn up a bit. “Now that we have all of that out of the way”, he brought them all back to the topic at hand, “Let’s begin. Taein, please step forward”

***

Seeing his friend go through his Initiation was both frightening and, well, oddly anticlimactic.  
As the older of the two joined Hoonjeong in the centre of the Electio, the latter started to speak in a low, whispering tone that echoed unnaturally around the room. This went on for a good minute until Woorim noticed that there was a distinct rhythm in his speech and the strings of light were matching the rising beat. Their light grew brighter and brighter, almost blindingly so and, suddenly, the archangel fell silent.

The sound had been sucked out of the space entirely, which made Woorim unsure if he was holding his breath or if he simply couldn’t hear it anymore. The lightning strings had amalgamated into one large pillar of pale green, stretching leisurely through the glass globe and towards Taein, though it stopped short mere centimetres behind his back. And with the slithering movement gone, too, the young angel felt stuck, pulled out of his own body and trajected into a weightless but still state, making him feel utterly helpless. Though the archangel’s back was turned towards him, since he was facing Taein, Woorim could tell the exact moment the elder’s eyes snapped open. 

The force of his sheer presence - their presence, someone had joined them - filling out the room stole what little breath the younger had held in his lungs. He stared on, not able to move a muscle with this immense weight pressing into him, as the legendary guardian angel commanded the room. He lifted both his hands and laid them on Taein, whose gaze had lost all nervousness and was resting on his senior with intense determination. The right over his heart, the left on his head, the touches caring and grounding. The second he made full contact with Taein, both their heads were yanked up, the pillar of light now merging with his friend, seemingly illuminating his eyes in its light and, through their connection, doing the same with Hoonjeong’s.

And then it was over. As if someone had flipped a switch, the Electio returned to its original state: The lights retreated, the room’s atmosphere settled into normality, and Woorim could breathe again. He heard his gasps, and Taein’s, loud and clear. When he locked eyes with him, he found them filled with tears, which was enough to make him run over and reach for his friend’s face in concern. “What happened?”, he tried to sound and look soothing, something he was well-versed in, though the stakes weren’t usually as high as they were now. He waited patiently, wiping at his cheeks whenever a tear managed to escape. He was obviously struggling to form a coherent word, though Woorim didn’t let that shake him. It could mean anything. Taein couldn’t have failed. 

“He-”, the tall angel began, his voice quivering, “He’s wonderful, Woorim. He’s wonderful and he needs my help.” Long arms circled the younger in a rush, pressing him firmly against the young guardian angel. Taein was a guardian angel now. The pure happiness made itself known in a bubbly smile, as Woorim gently stroked his friend’s back. He could sense his joy, overwhelmingly well, though the sadness and hurt mixed into it confused him. Before he could wonder about it any further, Hoonjeong carefully pried Taein out of his arms and whispered something to him, to which his friend gave a quick nod. Gesturing him to the far side of the Electio, where Woorim had stood before, the archangel turned to the younger. “You’re ready?”, he asked with a reassuring smile. Slightly dazed from all the strong emotions he had felt throughout this whole procedure, he stared blankly into Hoonjeong’s eyes. After a beat that had definitely gone on for too long, judging by the raise of his senior’s eyebrows, Woorim straightened his back with an “Ah, oh, yes, my turn, that’s right” and properly faced him. Chuckling slightly, Hoonjeong mirrored him, and so it began.

As soon as the archangel started his whisper, the younger expected the world to go silent again. Instead, he heard everything and everyone. Even though it was an utter chaos of warping sounds, calling to him in unbearable volume, he didn’t so much as flinch. It was as if his body had been prepared for what his mind couldn’t quite process. As he concentrated instinctively, he could make out small but boisterous voices, children laughing. They grew and matured, screamed and cried, and he felt himself joining in, though he knew it was only in his mind. As they became more distinctive, he could clearly hold them apart by how unique they were.

One, clear and flowing like a nightingale piercing through the night sky but stronger and unwavering, elegant like a lion but fiercer once it has spotted its pray, and passionate like a masterfully crafted violin but more desperate at times, as if its owner was too frightened to play it. 

Another, lovely like the twinkling tune of a music box but softer in its siren call, suddenly adventurous and grand like a young eagle reaching heights and depths he had not heard of before, and tragic still like one last attempt that was soon coming to an end, without fulfilling its purpose.

And the last one, sweet like a lover serenading his love but lonelier, warm like a mother’s lullaby comforting him even in ripe age but safer and never-fading, and sentimental like a retired king having seen his kingdom flourish, but leaving a rasp in his cries as if he was mourning all the chances lost, calling for a last one.

Sorrow and joy threatened to swallow the young angel whole. He had seen nothing, and yet he had heard everything. The voices had sung and cried, and though it tore his heart apart to hear them suffer, he had not witnessed such beauty, passion and potential before. They were calling out for someone to help them find their happiness.  
But it wasn’t someone they had called for, was it? No, not someone. They had called for him. 

And he would answer.

**Author's Note:**

> So, yeeeeh... That was it for now! I hope you liked it and enjoyed reading, would love to hear your thoughts and constructive criticisms in the comments :) This chapter took me about a month to complete, so I expect I'll post the second chapter in around that time frame as well (I sure hope our boys will meet then hdfhskd) ((As you can see, I have No Plan, so please have mercy on my soul ;;;)


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